Frederic mange



MATCH STICK CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH MANGE Feb. 15, 1927.

THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES Filed June 29, 1925 Fig. 6.

Fig. 4.

1 I I l Patented Feb. 15, 1927. j I

Fmtnniuc MANGE, on PARIS, FRANCE- MATCH-STICK-CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF .LVIATCHES.

' Application filed J'une 29, 1925, Serial No.

In the manufacture of matches, hitherto the match sticks have usually been piledloosely, but all lying in'the same direction in a magazine. From this position the sticks are pushed out longitudinally into the containers of the impregnating frames by means of thin plungers or pins which act on the ends of the individual sticks. With this method of pushing the sticksout, vari-' ous faults very often occur. Owing to the loose piling of the sticks the plunger often misses so that the impregnating frames are not completely filled, which gives an uneconomical working of the Further, by the action of the plunger on their ends, the sticks are split or damaged which results in a Considerable reduction in the quality of matches. Also there is a loss in all impregnating devices which have passages or channels, etc. of fixed cross-. section, because no sticks of insufficient crosssection can be held therein.

The object of the present invention is to avoid these difficulties'and to provide an apparatus of feeding which allows the individual match sticks to be conveyed without damage and waste, to the operating positions for the manufacture of matches so that a complete use is made of all the sticks supplied by a cutting machine. By the present invention all difiiculties which are caused by the individualrholding of the match sticks owing to the working methods employed, are avoided whether for example, used in the so-called complete machines or in the machines for feeding the impregnating frames of the known Seebold type and the like.

According to the present invention individual match sticks, preferably separated individually from a formation in series, are held in individual clips at right angles to their length, which allows of the sticks being gripped and firmly secured crosswise to their length, and these clips are arranged in rows and so controlled as to convey the match sticks to the various operating positions used in the manufacture of matches. Owing to the arrangement in series of the sticks it is preferable to provide groups of individual clips on carrying. bars so that apparatus.

40,462, and. in Switzerland July 10,1924.

each of the groups of clips can be simultane ously filled with match sticks which gives a satisfactory yield to the apparatus. The improved apparatus has the feature that the separate individual clips are conveyed to a match stick magazine of the series, type and by a relative sliding movement at right angles toythe length of the sticks ar-- ranged in adjacent rows inthe magazine they can grip'the sticks across the length thereof, after which they are conveyed to.- gether withthe sticks held therein to the various working places. T

The drawing illustrates a construction of the apparatus according to theinvention. 1

Figure 1 shows in side view aportion'of the apparatus from the position of feeding.

the sticks out of the magazine to the position where the clip carrying bars are transferred to a chain which passes over the posi- 7 tions where the treating materials are ape plied to the match sticks. r

V Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3-sl1ows in side view partly in section the arrangement of rollers for applying the materials. 1

Figures 4 to 7 illustrate details of .a method of construction of the magazine and of the clip carrying bars for the match sticks, Figures 4 and 5 being a side elevation and a plan view of a part of said magazine, whilst Figures 6 and 7 show the clips in side elevation and plan view.

A magazine 1 (Figures 1 and 2), in which the sticks from a cutting machine are ar- 35 ranged in series in separate compartments, is supported at the filling place opposite a double trackconveying chain 2 in such a ,way that the stick rows in the magazine are directed at right angles to a downwardly 1 moving portion of the chain 2. The rows'of I sticksare held in the magazine 1 by springy or resilient partitions 3 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. At the delivery ends these partitions 3 are out out at iin the manner shown 9 in Figure 6 in such a way that the individual sticks can be gripped across their length. The sticks are taken out of the magazine by means'of .a number of separate clip car-'- rying bars 5 which take the front stick from 'ments.

each row of sticks inthe magazine and for this purpose are provided with a number of individual projecting clips 6 corresponding to the number of the magazine compart- The clips of the carrying bars '5 each con [sist' of a pair of spring tongues 6 (Figure 7) which are bent inwards behind their open ends to form an abutment so that the said clips 6 can only pick up and grip one stick at a time. The sticks are gripped over a considerable part of their length and are thus held safely. Owing to their elasticity the clips can pick up sticks of varying thicknesses.

; The carrier bars5 are held on the double track conveying chain 2 by their ends each between a fixed jaw 8 and a spring pressed pivoted jaw 9-and are moved inwards and pressed against the magazine at-the filling .place by a'movable abutment 10 between the chain tracks,which is allowed by the slack running of the conveying chain 2 without -difiiculty,-the fingers 10 serving as a stop 25. that their entry into theclips ,6 is limited.

and so pressing back the ends of the sticks The movement of this abutment '10 is cfby" an electric motor 15.

* magazine compartments.

urged towards the chain 2 by a steel tension fected by a rotatable eccentric cam 11, which receives its movement through they chain drive l2rfrom the main shaft 13 (Figure 1'). The shaft 13, isidriven through a gear 14 The frontxstick of each serles of the magazinc is pushed out of the magazine compartments into the corresponding clip of the waiting carrying bar 5 by the action of ejecting plungers 16, which are arranged on a slide 17 and pass from behind into the This slide 1? is band 18 with a weight 19. The steel band 18 is fastened to rollers 20, 21, and to the projection 17 of theslide 1'7. By'the cooperation in opposite directions of the plungers 16 entering the magazine compart-' ments and the'abutment 10 acting on the chain 2, the former .under the influence of the weight loaded steel band '18 and the latter under the action of the eccentric cam 11, the front sticks of the magazine are pressed out of'their compartments into the spring-clips 6 of'the waiting carrying bar 5, the pressure of the plungers acting at right angles to the axes of the sticks and over their whole length and there being always only room for one stick in the spring acted on by the tension of its spring 26 another cam 30 combined with and following the cam 27 acts on a spring pressed push rod 81, which is linked to apin 32 of the clutch member 25, and lifts this push rod 31 somewhat to .thus effect a slight rotation of the clutch member 25 and the roller 20 engaged therewith in the direction and to the extent that the pressure of the plungers 16 on the chain 2 is released against the action of the .weight 19)..

rfter this the abutment 10 is moved back and the chain 2, which is driven. by means of the wheel 35 (Figure 2), is moved on,

another step by the action of a Maltesecross When this has occurred, that is when the cam 27 allows the lever 26 to be p mechanism, whose crank pin cam 86 is situ ated on r the main shaft 13 and whose Maltese cross disc 3'7v on the shaft of the wheel 35, so that a new clip'carrying bar. 5 is moved on into the waiting position.' In

this way the bars 5 in the conveying chain 2.

are successively loaded each with a series of sticks and are moved on intermittently from the filling place. During ,their passage through the machine the loaded bars 5 reach a cross-wise transferplace A. Here" the pivoted jaws 9' are opened by an abutment 10 (against the action-of their springs) to release the carrying bars 5, whilst a double track crosswise chain 11, which runs over the chain wheels 42, 13, and is'provided on each track line with carrier thumbstf, through the latter takes the released clip.

carrying bar 5 with it and slides the same along a track 45 and. finally delivers it to.

anotherdouble track chain50, which, like the chain 2, is provided with a series of holding jaws 58, 59, for the clip carrying b-ars, and on its horizontal course, in t e manner shown in-Figure 3,car'ries the bars 5 with the downwardly projecting-match sticks over the devices for applying the combustib e substance andkindling materials. The opening of the jaws 58, 59, at the picking up place is efl'ected as beforeby the action of an abutment 51 which acts on a tail of the movable jaws 59, whilst the closing of the jaws is effected by their own springs. Here, as before at 9, the movable jaws 59 have a projecting claw 59 for security in holding the clip carrying bars.

The device for applylng the combustible.

substance comprises a stationary trough 60 (Figure 3) for containing this substance in a fluid state (which is for example melted parafiin or fluid sulphur), and a roller 61 in this fiuid material. The roller rotates in synchronism with the movement of the chain lit) 56, which roller is providedon its periphery With a series of longitudinal small dipping troughs 62, whose distance apart in the peripheral direction corresponds tothe dis tance apart of the clip carrying bars in the said chain and in the axial direction according to the distance apart of the clips on the said bars. During the intermittent movement of the chain 50 and the correspondingly intermittent rotation of the roller 61 the match sticks are'dipped to the desired depth along the top line of the roller 61 into the dipping troughs 62, which troughsarefilled with the combustible substance by the rotation of the roller. The depth of dipping can be easily regulated as the roller 61 is supported on double lever 64 which can be positioned by a micrometer screw 63, so that by turning this screw the height of the roller can be adjusted according to the length or thickness of the. sticks without making any alterations in the path of the loaded bars. Naturally this adjustment in height of the roller can 1 be effected without altering its drive.

After the application of the combustible substance the thus impregnated sticks in the bars pass over a'heating device 66, and then pass over the device for applying the kindling material. The latter also comprises a stationary trough for containing this material in a fluid state and a roller 71 rotating therein, which in this case, however, ow-

v have been passed over a heating device 75 they are conveyed by the chain 50 to a delivery place not illustrated, which can be behind the sticks therein.

varied according to the requirements of the factory, where they are released from the clip carrying bars and can be filled into boxes, preferably by means of a comb the teeth of which are engaged into the clips The path to this delivery place can also serve as a drying channel for the match heads. After this the clip bars return empty, to be delivered by I continuous progression with match sticks,

and the sticks are supplied on their passage with combustible substance and kindling materials, the bars then being emptied and after being returned to the filling place are loaded it again with match sticks.

What I claim is 2- i l. A match stick conveying apparatus for use in connection with the manufacture of matches,comprising a match stick magazine.

use in connection with the manufactureof matches, comprising a match stick magazine with compartments to hold the match sticks in upright position by parallel rows, spring-- clips arranged by series to grip and hold each a match stick, means to produce arelative movement between the match stick rows in said magazlne and the spring clip series transversely to the longitudinal direction of the match sticks to cause the same to enter crosswise into the spring clips, and automatic means to transfer the spring clips thus loaded to various working places for finishing matches. i

3. A match stick conveying apparatus 01 use in connection with the manufacture of matches, comprising a match stick magazine to hold the match sticksin upright position,

spring clips to gripand holdeach a match to said magazine transversely to the longitudinal direction of the match sticks so as.

to slide same crosswise over the match'sticks, and automatic means to transfer the spring clips thus loaded to various working places for finishing matches. I

4. A match stick conveying apparatus for use in connection with the manufacture of matches, comprising a match stick magazine stick, means to approach the spring clips with compartments to hold the match sticks 1n upright position by parallel rows, spring 5. A match stick conveying apparatus for use in connection with the manufacture of matches, comprisinga match stickmagazine .to hold the match sticks in upright position,

clips to grip and hold each a match stick, vconveylng bars to carry said spring clips spring clipsto grip and hold each a match match sticks so as to cause same to receive stick, said spring clips having springy side and grip match sticks across their 1ength, 10

walls with a flared mouth and. with stop and automatic means to'transfer the spring means to allow gripping of only one single clips thus loaded to various Workingpiaces match stick, means to produce a relative fillihing matches movement between the match sticks iii said In Wltnesii whereof have hereunto slgned magazine and the said spring, clips transmy name thls 17th y of June 1925- i c versely to the longitudinal direction of the FREDERIC MANGE. 

